The South Carolina Lowcountry is made up of marshes, swamps, and coastal inlets.
Brown Pelican are as common here as the big Herons and Egrets.
Brown Pelicans and Laughing Gulls, barrier island, South Carolina.
Lowcountry Pelicans (1)
Tag Archives: Ocean Shore
Flash Of Red, Egret
Not the type of shot that I would capture a series of. He blew by way too fast. I am more than happy to catch anything of Reddish Egrets in flight (or just standing around).
Reddish Egret, Florida salt marsh.
Atlantic Dawn, South Carolina
Dawn over the Atlantic, Litchfield, South Carolina.
Dolphin, Pelican, Fish Flying Everywhere (2)
This is the second article in the series of Dolphin strand feeding, flying fish, and thieving Pelicans. To view the first article click here .
You don’t really know where the strand will be. There are times you will see the pod circling and pushing fish out in the open water. But they might herd the school anywhere along the shore that has a good deep drop they can fit in. Personally I find what appears to be a good spot and stay there. This inlet is at least a mile long, I’m not running this in the sun!
I have a good idea of the shore here so if they are feeding I should get a few chances…and a few near misses. Below is a little bit of both.
About 4 Dolphin hit the beach pushing a lot of fish on to the sand. Above you can see them in the air.
From my spot the Dolphin were a little to far down a slope into the water for full body photos. This chaos happened with no warning. Suddenly the air filled with a wave (loud) of water and fish. Dolphin on the beach were right behind.
You don’t have time to do anything but shoot the camera. Besides you never interrupt an animal feeding, and they flail around on shore and would crush a person like a grape. They are really big.
This Pelican was a surprised as me. He never had a chance to steal a fish. He did try though.
Pelicans With Shrimpers
I can’t think of a better way to spend time than walk along the boardwalk with the commercial shrimp boats. And of course the always present Brown Pelicans looking to get a free meal.
You can buy fresh shrimp and fish from the wholesalers right next to these piers. Better yet restaurants are on the other side of the parking lots here and have done all the work for you.
Shem Creek, South Carolina.
Dolphin, Pelican, Fish Flying Everywhere (1)
The only place known where Dolphin will drive fish to shore, and then follow them right on the beach is the Lowcountry. The Dolphin pods are residents to the inlets here and are not ocean going. As such they have taught themselves new ways to hunt and pass it on to each new generation.
Above several Dolphin drove Mullet to the beach and went up and caught them on shore. You can see a fish by a Dolphin.
The other trick with these Dolphin pods are their followers, Brown Pelicans. Pelicans will push right in to steal the fish.
Kiawah River, South Carolina.
On The Beach, Pelican
One of the reasons I love living in the Lowcountry.
It’s been 7 years last week since we loaded up the car, stuffed the poor dog in the back, and left the north behind.
A Great Dancer, Reddish Egret
Everything else stops when you spot a Reddish Egret on the hunt. Catch one at dawn in the early light…hard not to do the happy dance. This is a bird you need to go find, they rarely show up on the average walk, no matter where you are.
This Egret was spotted a bit after dawn in a salt marsh, that’s their only habitat.
Because there is always sun glare on the water hiding their prey the dance is a series of moves to find fish.
First a Reddish will run through shallows, splashing water and driving fish ahead.
At the end the Egret will raise his wings to throw a shadow on the water. This makes for clear visibility.
You know this is a great show when photographers walk away from Roseate Spoonbills to watch the dancing Egret.